Carbonator.



No.- 662,407. Patented Nov. 27, I900. G. A. FLESCHE, H. A. HALL' & J. DOHERTY.

CARBONATOR.

(Application filed. June 15, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet (No lludeL).

THE NORRIS PEYERS co. PNOYO-LITNCL. wnsnwc'rou, u. c.

Patented Nov. 27, I900.

G. A. FLESCHE, A. HALL & J. DDHERTY. CARBUNATUR.

(Application filed June 15, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Jay;

In eiziam,

m: Noam: PETERS 120., PHOTOYLITHO WASHINGYON. n. c.

Patented Nov. 27,1900. G. A. FLESCHE, H. A. HALL &. J. DO HERTY.

Y CARBONAIOR.

(Application filed Ju ne 15, 1899.)

(My Model.)

4 Sheds-Sheet 4.

Winasea: 19 M I M .4 5w l z.

E NORRIS PETERS co. PHOIO-LITNQ. wuumswn, u. c.

llnrrn GUSTAV A. FLESCI'IE AND HENRY A. HALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND JOHN DOHERTY, OF ASH BROOK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO THE AMERICAN SODA FOUNTAIN COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR BONATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,407, dated. November 27, 1900.

Application filed June 15,1899. Serial No. 720,601. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: up and assist the intimate association of the Be it known that we, GUSTAV A. FLEsoHE, water and gas. The imperfectly-associated residing at New York, borough of Brooklyn, mixture of water and gas entering the mixingcounty of Kings, and HENRY A. HALL, residchamber through the spray at the lower end ing at New York, borough of Manhattan, will be forced upward throughvthe charged 55 county of New York, State of New York, citiliquid already in the chamber, and a very Zens ofthe United States,and JOHN DOHERTY, perfect mix will be thus secured. In order, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residhowever, to facilitate the mixing of the water ing at Ash Brook, in the county of Middlesex and gas, we preferably make use of a me- [O and State of New Jersey, have invented a cerchanical agitator mounted in the miXing- 6o tain new and useful Carbonator, of which the chamber and serving to force portions of the following is a specification. gas above the liquid below the surface thereof Our invention relates to an improved carand to elevate portions of the liquid through bonating apparatus adapted for the charging the gas. In order that the mechanical agita of a liquid with a suitable gas-as, for intor when used may be driven, while at the 6; stance, the commercial production of soda same time allowing the mixing-chamber to and mineral waters, beer, wine, and other be counterbalanced, as explained, we employ beverages. universal driving machanism of novel con- The object of our invention is to provide a strnction for the purpose. The mixing-cham- 2o carbonator adapted to automatically charge her is provided with a relief-valve set at the 70 the desired liquid with the desired gas which proper pressure and by means of which the will be entirely automatic in its operation gas-pressure within the same will be kept uniand wherein great uniformity in the charging form, any escape through the relief-valve beoperation will be secured. ing conveyed back to the gasometer. The car- We are aware that prior to our invention bonated or other gas-charged liquid is drawn 75 automatic carbonating apparatus has been off from the miXing-chamberfor use,the pump designed; but owing to the lack of sensitivebeing of sufficient capacity to accommodate ness in the regulating devices and to the inthe maximum quantity withdrawn per min- 'sulficiency of the mixing devices the prior ute. In order that the mixture may be absoo carbonatorshavenotbeen equalin the quality lutely uniform, the level of the liquid in the 80 of output to the old-fashioned hand machinmixing-chamber requires to be kept substanery and for this reason have not commended tially fixed, and We therefore employ an overthemselves to the public. flow-pipe connecting with the interior of the In our improved carbonating apparatus we mixing-chamber and leading to the liquid-supemploy a mixing-chamber in which the ultiply box, said overiiow-pipe having an auto- 85 mate mixing of the gas and liquid is effected matic regulating-valve therein adapted to be arranged to hold a normally approximate opened when the mixing-chamber descends quantity thereof and when so partially filled by an overload, thus allowing the surplus to be counterbalanced by alixed weight. We charged liquid from the mixing-chamber to 4o employ a force-pump which simultaneously be forced back into the supply-box, reestabo draws water or other liquid from a supplylishing the balance, causing the mixing-chambox maintained at an approximate level bya her to ascend, and again closing the regulatball float-valve and gas from agasometer, the ing-valve. The liquid which is thus caused liquid and gas thus imperfectly mixed in the to overflowinto the supply-box willbe charged pump being forced through a spray opening with the gas and will become distributed into the bottom of the mixing-chamber. WVe throughout the larger bulk of liquid, so that also preferably employ one or more checkbut very little of the gas contained therein valves in the discharge-pipe from the pump will escape. In this way we allow for the adapted to prevent backrush to the pump, overflow from the mixing-chamber without but more particularly to effect the breaking substantial loss in power. Any relatively 10o mechanical agitator.

slight quantities of gas that may ebulliat-e from the liquid in the supply-box will be conveyed back to the gasometer.

It will thus be observed that with our device in its complete form we subject the liquid and gas to five separate mixing operations, the first being performed in the pump, the second in the passage through the check valve or valves, the third in the spray, the fourth by the action of the mechanical agitator, and the last by the admixture of any charged liquid passing through the overflow into the supply-box. Thus an absolutelyintimate mixture of gas and liquid will be secured, which will become less perfect if one or more of the mixing operations are dispensed withas, for example, the doing away with the check valve or valves or the The principal mixing operations take place in the mixing-chamber, and it is upon this device that we lay especial' stress.- We are aware that prior to our invention mixing-chambers have been employedhaving a spray leading into the top thereof; but with such devices the mixture was necessarily imperfect. With our improved mixing-chamber the spray is introduced at the bottom, so that the gas is brought into contact not only with the liquid entering with it, but with all the liquid in the chamber;

Another feature on which we lay stress is a counterbalanced mixing-chamber provided with a mechanical agitator in addition to the spray, a device which, so far as we know, is entirely new and by which a very perfect and intimate mix will be secured.

We also believe that we are the first to employ a mixing-chamber having a mechanical agitator, the mixing-chamber being counterbalanced so as to maintain an approximately equal quantity of charged liquid therein and the mechanical agitator being operated by devices such as a universal gearing, which permit the delicate balancing of the mixingchamber necessary to secure proper results. We also consider important and claim especially the returning to the supply-box of surplus charged liquid from the mixing-chamber, as in this way we effect the balancing operations without remixture of liquid and gas at the pump.

All of these features of novelty, together with the specific details, will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that our invention may be better understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a diagram matic view of the apparatus, showing the mixing-chamber, pump, water-supply box, and gasometer and illustrating the several conduits connecting the several elements; Fig. 2, a side View of the apparatus with the gasometer removed; Fig. 3, a front view thereof; Fig. 4, a plan; Fig. 5, an enlarged section through the mixingchamber and spray; Fig. 6, a section on the lines 6 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, an enlarged detail view of the driving mechanism for the mechanical agitator; and Fig. 8, a section through the main driving-shaft, illustrating the preferred connection for operating the pump, showing the latter in elevation.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by the same numerals of reference.

In a suitable frame 1 is mounted a main driving-shaft 2, carrying ordinarily a balance-wheel 3 and having fast and loose pulleys 4 thereon, to which the driving-belt is connected. At one end the shaft 2 carries a crank 5, driving a fork 6, connected to the piston-rod 7 of a liquid and gas pump 8 of any suitable type, the rod 7 being guided in a sleeve 9, as shown.

10 is a liquid-supply box conveniently carried on the framework 1, but which may be located at any other desired point. The liquid is maintained in the box 10 at an approximately constant level in any suitable Way, as by means of a common float-valve 11. A pipe 12 connects the supply-box 10 with the liquid-inlet of the pump 8, said inlet being provided with a regulating-valve 13.

14 is a gasometer or gas-generator of any suitable type, connecting with the gas-inlet pipe 15 of the pump, said inlet-pipe being provided with aregulating-valve 16. By adjusting the positions of the valves 13 and 16 the proportions of liquid and gas entering the pump will be regulated. The discharge 17 from the pump connects with a flexible pipe 18 and leads into the mixingchamber 19, which will be described in detail hereinafter. Preferably the discharge-pipe 17 of the pump is provided with one or more check-valves 20, two being shown, which are of any suitable type and which not only prevent backrush erably the knife-edges 21 are carried by a collar 25, surrounding the blow-off pipe-26, from the mixing-chamber, antifriction-balls being inserted above the said collar, whereby the mixing-chamber 19 will be free to turn on its vertical axis relatively to the scalebeam 22, if desired. The blow-off pipe 26 is provided with a relief-valve 27, which can be adjusted to maintain the pressure of gas within the miXing-chamber19 at any desired point, overflow from the relief-valve being conveyed bya pipe 28 back to the gasometer. Usually a gage 29 is employed in order that too ulating-valve 49 therein.

the workmen may be advised when the pres sure within the mixing-chamber has reached the desired point. The mixing cham ber 19 is mad e,preferably, of copper or steel spun orstamped into shape, having an inner lining of block-tin or other appropriate material, as is common. The flexible tube 18 for conveying the liquid and gas from the pump connect-s with a pipe 30, leading up into the interior of the mixingchamber, closed at its upper end, and provided with numerous small perforations 31 therein, the whole constituting the spray for facilitating the mixing operation. Preferably also a mechanical agitator is employed within the mixingchamber, which in the preferred construction comprises a ring 32, mounted on a shaft 33, carried in bearings 34 34 in the side walls of the mixing-chamber, one of said bearings having a closed cap 35 and the other astuffing-box 36. The agitating-ring 32 is preferably of the cross-sectional shape shown in Fig. 6,comprising,essentially, two trough-like portions 37 38, inverted with respect to each other, one serving to force gas from above the level of the liquid down below the surface thereof and the other to elevate a portion of the liquid and to carry it into engagement with the superjacent gas at each rotation. The normal level of the liquid is preferably substantially in line with the shaft 33. The mechanical agitator 32 when used is operated from a shaft 39, driven from gears 40 from the main shaft 2. The shaft 39 carries a gimbal 41, the pivots of which engage a ball 42, with which at right angles the pivots of a gimbal 43 engage. A similar universal joint 44 drives the shaft 33. Inter-posed between the two universal joints is a divided shaft comprising a sleeve 45 and a rod 46, loosely adjustable longitudinally therein, rotary movement between the two being communicated by a pin and spline 47. By means of a drivingdevice, such as shown, rotary motion from the shaft 39 will be communicated to the shaft 33, while at the same time the shaft 33 will be free to change its plane under the counterbalancing effects, the lengthening and shortening of the shaft connecting the universal joints being provided for by the telescopic character. By mount ing the mixing-chamber on an ant-ifrictionbearing from the scale-beam 22 it may be turned slightly on its vertical axis as it rises and falls when the friction between the sections 45 and 46 of the driving-shaft is greater than in the antifriction-joint above the collar 25.

Leading down from the interior of the mixing-chamber and within the spray-pipe 30 is an overflow-pipe 48, having an automatic reg This regulatingvalve is preferably an ordinary plug-valve, the stem of which is connected to a lever50, connected by a link 51 to a stationary element, such as the floor. The overflow-pipe 48 connects by a flexible section 52 with the supply-box 10. The regulating-valve 49 will be so adjusted that when the mixing-chamber 19 occupies its proper plane-4. 6., when the amountof charged liquid therein exactly counter-balances the weight 23-the regulating-valve49 will be exactlyonlthe pointofopening, so that if an excess quantity of charged liquid enters the mixing-chamber to overbalance the weight 23 the downward movement ofthe mixing'chamber will cause the regulating-valve 49 to open.

The operation of our improved device will be as follows: The shaft 2 being rotated to operate the pump, liquid will be drawn from the supply-box 10 and gas from the gasometer 14 in the proper proportions dependent upon the position of the valves 13 and 16 and forced by the pump through the check-valves 20, if used, and thence through the flexible pipe 18 into the mixing-chamber. In being thus forced through the small openings 31 in the spray an intimate admixture of the gas and liquid will be secured, which will be increased when the liquid reaches its normal level, since the gas not only is required to come into intimate contact with the liquid entering with it, but is also caused to pass through all of the liquid within the chamber. The shaft. 2, through the gears 40 and the universal shaft, drives the agitator-shaft 33, causing the mechanical agitator to agitate the charged liquid and to facilitate the mixing operation. Vhen an agitator of the cross-sectional shape shown is employed,-gas will be carried down below the level of the liquid and liquid will be carried into the superjacent layer of gas to increase the intimate association of the two. The pressure of the gas in the mixing-chamber will be maintained by the relief-valve 27, any escape going over to the gasometer. The charged liquid is drawn out of the mixingchamber through flexible draw-off pipes 53, connected to valve-nipples 54. If the liquid in the mixing-chamber increases above the normal amount to overbalance the weight 23, the mixing-chamber will descend, opening the valve 49 and allowing the gas-pressure to force a portion of the charged liquid through the overflow-pipe 48 into the supply-box 10, reducing the weight of the liquid and allowing the mixing-chamber to once more ascend, closing the regulating-valve 49. Liquid which is thus caused by overflow to enter the supply-box 10 will be immediately mixed with a very much greater quantity of uncharged liquid therein and there will be little or no tendency of the'gas to escape, so that we thus overcome unnecessary mixing of gas and liquid at the pump. Any small quantity of gas which may ebulliate from the liquid in the supply-box 10 will be conducted by a pipe 55 back to the gasometer.

Having now described our invention, What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a carbonator, the combination with a counterbalanced mixing-chamber, of a pump supplying a liquid to said chamber, an overflow-pipe from the chamber, and a regulatingvalve in said overflow-pipe, allowing for a discharge of liquid from the mixing-chamber when the latter becomes overbalanced, substantially as set forth.

2. In a carbonator, the combination with a counterbalanced mixing-chamber, of asource of liquid-supply, a pump for forcing liquid therefrom into the mixing-chamber, an overflow-pipe connecting the mixing-chamber with ,the liquid-supply, and a regulating-valve in the overflow-pipe, permitting a discharge of liquid from the mixing-chamber when the latter becomes overbalanced, substantially as set forth.

3. In a carbonator, the combination with a counterbalanced mixing-chamber, of means for supplying a liquid and a gas thereto, an overflow-pipe from the mixing-chamber, and a regulating-valve adapted to be automatically opened when the mixing-chamber becomes overbalanced, to permit the gas-pressure to force out therefrom a quantity of the liquid, substantially as set forth.

'4. In a carbonator, the combination with a counterbalanced mixing-chamber, of a source of liquid-supply, means for forcing liquid therefrom into the mixing-chamber and for forcing a gas into said chamber, an overflowpipe leading from the chamber to the source of liquid-supply, and a regulating-valve arranged to be automatically opened when the mixing-chamber becomes overbalanced, to allow the gas-pressure to force a portion of the liquid back to the source of supply thereof, substantially as set forth.

.5. In a carbonator, the combination with a mixing-chamber, of sources of liquid and of gas supply, means for simultaneously forcing liquidand gas therefrom into the chamber, an overflow-pipe connecting the chamber with the source of liquid-supply, and means for maintaining an approximately uniform quantity of liquid in said chamber by allowing for the return of excess gaseous liquid back to the source of supply, whereby the charged liquid entering the greater bulk thereof in such source of supply will be distributed throughout the same, substantially as and for the purpose set-forth.

6. In a carbonator, the combination with a mixing-chamber, of a liquid-supply box,

gasometer, a pump for forcing liquid and gas into the mixing-chamber, an overflow-pipe leading from the mixing-chamber to the liquid supply box, an automatic regulatingvalve in said pipe, and a gas-pipe connecting the supply-box with the gasometer, substantially as set forth.

7. In a carbonator, the combination with a counterbalanced mixing-chamber, of means for supplying a liquid and gas to the same,a

mechanical agitator mounted in said chamber,

and connections for positively driving said mixing-chamber, substantially as set forth.

b. In a carbonator, the combination with a counterbalanced mixing-chamber, of means for supplying a liquid and gasto the same, a mechanical agitator mounted in said chamber, and a shaft having universal joints for driving said agitator without affecting the balance of the mixing-chamber, substantially as set forth.

9. In a carbonator, the combination with a counterbalanced mixing-chamber, of means for supplying a liquid and gas to the same, a mechanical agitator mounted in said chamber, and a telescoping shaft having universal joints for driving said agitator without affecting the balance of the mixing-chamber, substantially as set forth.

10. In a carbonator, the combination with a counterbalanced mixing-chamber, means for supplying a liquid and gas to the same, a mechanical agitator mounted in said chamber, comprising two inverted annular troughs, for

the purpose mentioned, and means for operating said agitator, substantially as set forth. This specification signed and witnessed this 25th day of April, 1899.

G. A. FLESCHE.

HENRY A. HALL. JOHN DOHERTY.

Witnesses to the signature of Gustav A. Flesche:

JOHN J. GLYNN, H. M. KING. Witnesses to the signatures of Henry A. Hall and John Doherty:

EDWARD BRADLEY, JOHN J. GLYNN. 

